Crime in West Devon: statistics, rates and trends
2,623 crimes were recorded in West Devon in the 12 months to August 2026, 44.5 per 1,000 residents. That is lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and up 1% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime map
- Crime in West Devon at a glance
- Crime trends in West Devon
- Types of crime in West Devon
- West Devon compared with nearby districts
- Areas within West Devon
- Streets with the most crime in West Devon
- What happened after crimes were reported in West Devon
- Demographics of West Devon
- Fly-tipping in West Devon
- Questions about crime in West Devon
- About this data
Crime map
Violence and sexual offences (1,254), criminal damage and arson (277) and anti-social behaviour (252) made up 68% of all recorded crime. Its crime rate ranks 297th of the 302 districts covered by this site (1 = highest), in the lowest tenth.
| Measure | West Devon | Devon | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to August 2026 | 2,623 | 53,502 | 5,618,064 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 44.5 | 63.5 | 96.7 |
| Change on previous 12 months | +1% | -4% | -1% |
| Population | 58,923 | 842,313 | 58,127,638 |
Recorded crime in West Devon peaked in the year to August 2018 (2,918 crimes) and was lowest in the year to August 2020 (2,459). Between the years to August 2018 and 2026 it fell 10%, while across England and Wales it fell 4%.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to August 2026 | 2,623 | 44.5 | 96.7 |
| Year to August 2025 | 2,597 | 44.1 | 97.2 |
| Year to August 2024 | 2,702 | 45.9 | 97.9 |
| Year to August 2022 | 2,549 | 43.3 | 102.0 |
| Year to August 2021 | 2,481 | 42.1 | 101.4 |
| Year to August 2020 | 2,459 | 41.7 | 102.7 |
| Year to August 2019 | 2,590 | 44.0 | 101.7 |
| Year to August 2018 | 2,918 | 49.5 | 100.8 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 217 |
| July 2026 | 264 |
| June 2026 | 187 |
| May 2026 | 207 |
| April 2026 | 209 |
| March 2026 | 234 |
| February 2026 | 197 |
| January 2026 | 191 |
| December 2025 | 224 |
| November 2025 | 222 |
| October 2025 | 275 |
| September 2025 | 196 |
No category with at least 20 crimes was notably above the England and Wales rate, and shoplifting (80% below) and drugs (75% below) were well below it. On the year before, vehicle crime rose from 60 to 98 and public order rose from 150 to 207, while anti-social behaviour fell from 395 to 252 and burglary fell from 98 to 66.
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 1,254 | 21.3 | 34.2 | +9% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 277 | 4.7 | 6.7 | +8% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 252 | 4.3 | 15.4 | -36% |
| Public order | 207 | 3.5 | 6.7 | +38% |
| Other theft | 203 | 3.4 | 6.4 | -8% |
| Shoplifting | 101 | 1.7 | 8.5 | +11% |
| Vehicle crime | 98 | 1.7 | 5.0 | +63% |
| Other crime | 72 | 1.2 | 2.1 | +9% |
| Burglary | 66 | 1.1 | 3.6 | -33% |
| Drugs | 48 | 0.8 | 3.3 | -24% |
| Possession of weapons | 27 | 0.5 | 1.0 | -4% |
| Robbery | 7 | 0.1 | 1.4 | n/a |
| Theft from the person | 7 | 0.1 | 1.7 | n/a |
| Bicycle theft | 4 | 0.1 | 0.8 | n/a |
What each category covers: crime categories.
Every one of the 8 nearest districts has a higher crime rate than West Devon.
| District | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs West Devon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plymouth | 29,802 | 109.5 | +146% |
| South Hams | 4,357 | 47.3 | +6% |
| Teignbridge | 8,148 | 58.8 | +32% |
| Torridge | 3,849 | 55.1 | +24% |
| Exeter | 15,017 | 108.5 | +144% |
| Torbay | 15,261 | 108.9 | +145% |
| Mid Devon | 4,941 | 58.1 | +31% |
| North Devon | 7,112 | 70.3 | +58% |
Of the 29 areas within West Devon, Okehampton South had the highest crime rate (96.9 per 1,000) and Mary Tavy the lowest (20.1), 5 times apart.
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Okehampton South | Neighbourhood | 3,592 | 348 | 96.9 |
| Tavistock North | Neighbourhood | 4,410 | 362 | 82.1 |
| Okehampton | Town | 10,289 | 686 | 66.7 |
| Princetown | Town | 1,409 | 87 | 61.7 |
| Dartmoor | Neighbourhood | 1,409 | 87 | 61.7 |
| Tavistock | Town | 13,598 | 779 | 57.3 |
| Tavistock South West | Neighbourhood | 4,732 | 244 | 51.6 |
| Okehampton North | Neighbourhood | 6,697 | 338 | 50.5 |
| Drewsteignton | Neighbourhood | 1,735 | 77 | 44.4 |
| Hatherleigh | Town | 2,542 | 106 | 41.7 |
| North Tawton | Town | 2,490 | 99 | 39.8 |
| Tavistock South East | Neighbourhood | 4,456 | 173 | 38.8 |
| Buckland Monachorum | Neighbourhood | 3,583 | 130 | 36.3 |
| Hatherleigh | Neighbourhood | 4,151 | 149 | 35.9 |
| South Zeal | Town | 1,659 | 59 | 35.6 |
| South Tawton | Neighbourhood | 1,659 | 59 | 35.6 |
| Exbourne | Neighbourhood | 4,387 | 156 | 35.6 |
| Lifton | Town | 1,890 | 65 | 34.4 |
| Tamarside | Neighbourhood | 1,890 | 65 | 34.4 |
| Bere Alston | Town | 3,113 | 107 | 34.4 |
| Bere Ferrers | Neighbourhood | 3,113 | 107 | 34.4 |
| Horrabridge | Town | 3,225 | 96 | 29.8 |
| Yelverton | Town | 1,956 | 54 | 27.6 |
| Burrator | Neighbourhood | 4,688 | 129 | 27.5 |
| Milton Ford | Neighbourhood | 3,515 | 90 | 25.6 |
| Bridestowe | Neighbourhood | 1,705 | 42 | 24.6 |
| Dousland | Town | 1,463 | 33 | 22.6 |
| Chagford | Town | 1,556 | 34 | 21.9 |
| Mary Tavy | Town | 1,645 | 33 | 20.1 |
The 10 locations below account for 28% of the crime recorded in West Devon over the 12 months to August 2026; the most were recorded at “Parking Area” (305).
| Location | Crimes |
|---|---|
| On or near Parking Area | 305 |
| On or near Fore Street | 65 |
| On or near West Street | 61 |
| On or near Pepper Street | 58 |
| On or near Supermarket | 53 |
| On or near Park/Open Space | 47 |
| On or near Petrol Station | 44 |
| On or near Sports/Recreation Area | 43 |
| On or near Station Road | 37 |
| On or near A386 | 30 |
Of the 2,371 crimes in West Devon with a recorded outcome, 23% ended with the investigation complete and no suspect identified, against 35% across England and Wales; 3.1% were awaiting a court outcome (England and Wales: 5.2%). The 252 anti-social behaviour reports have no outcome and are left out.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 1,083 | 45.7% | 34.5% |
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 550 | 23.2% | 35.3% |
| Under investigation | 297 | 12.5% | 11.5% |
| Status update unavailable | 113 | 4.8% | 4.7% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 74 | 3.1% | 5.2% |
| Local resolution | 69 | 2.9% | 3.1% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 53 | 2.2% | 0.5% |
| Offender given a caution | 35 | 1.5% | 0.6% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 31 | 1.3% | 0.3% |
| Formal action is not in the public interest | 30 | 1.3% | 0.3% |
| Court result unavailable | 26 | 1.1% | 2.5% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 10 | 0.4% | 1.3% |
West Devon has an estimated population of 58,923 (ONS, mid-2024). Compared with England and Wales it has an older population (30%, against 19%), fewer households without a car (12%, against 23%) and more retired residents (32%, against 22%). On the England IoD 2025, the small areas (LSOAs) that make up West Devon average decile 5.2 (1 = most deprived), close to the middle.
| Measure | West Devon | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 14.4% | 18.3% |
| Aged 65 and over | 29.7% | 18.9% |
| Residents 16+ in work | 52.5% | 57.2% |
| Residents 16+ unemployed | 1.9% | 3.4% |
| Residents 16+ retired | 31.9% | 21.6% |
| Residents 16+ who are students | 4.5% | 7.9% |
| Residents 16+ with Level 4 qualifications or above (degree, HND and similar) | 34.1% | 33.8% |
| Residents 16+ with no qualifications | 15.6% | 18.2% |
| Households with no car or van | 12.1% | 23.3% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 71.7% | 62.5% |
| Social rented homes | 10.1% | 17.1% |
| Private rented homes | 18.2% | 20.3% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 5.2 | 5.5 (England) |
339 fly-tipping incidents were recorded in West Devon in 2024/25 (5.8 per 1,000 residents, against 21.1 across the councils in England that count all incidents), according to the council's return to Defra. Fly-tipping is not in the police figures on this page: fly-tipping in West Devon has the council's figures by place, type of waste and size, and its enforcement actions and fines.
Is West Devon a safe place to live?
West Devon recorded 44.5 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to August 2026, lower than the England and Wales rate of 96.7, and ranks 297th of the 302 districts on this site by crime rate (1 = highest).
What is the most common crime in West Devon?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 1,254 reports in the 12 months to August 2026, followed by criminal damage and arson (277).
Is crime in West Devon going up or down?
Recorded crime in West Devon was up 1% on the year before: 2,623 crimes in the 12 months to August 2026 against 2,597 in the previous 12 months.
What is the population of West Devon?
About 58,923 people (ONS mid-2024 estimate), 30% of them aged 65 or over (England and Wales: 19%).
Which police force covers West Devon?
West Devon is policed by Devon & Cornwall.
Police-recorded crime from data.police.uk (September 2017 to August 2026), ONS population estimates and Census 2021. Definitions and limitations: methodology.